Online research of BIT, conducted amongst 111 respondents, show that most of the frustrations with corporate internet connections stem from the speed of the connection. A whopping 31 percent of the respondents marked this as their biggest frustration, followed by failures in the internet connection (22%) and lack of status information with failures (14%). In contrast, respondents indicated that the accessibility of the service desk (5%), long-term construction projects (5%) and long-term contracts with the internet provider (4%) as the least frustrating.

Wido Potters, Manager Support & Sales at BIT, about the results: “Lately, the Netherlands is losing its top position on the world list with fast internet connections. A worrying development. The respondents indicate that they are frustrated about the speed of the connections and in the long run, this will stand in the way of innovation. The Netherlands have many initiatives to make fibre optic available for consumers, but it lacks in such options for businesses. For the Netherlands to stay ahead, more government involvement is necessary, for example in the form of incentives.”

Internet access has almost become a utility. In the last fifteen to twenty years, almost all businesses in the Netherlands have become dependent on an internet connection for their business processes. “It is not surprising that the corporate market needs more information when failures occur on these internet connections”, says Wido Potters.

“Bad news communication is never fun. However, by making information on failures accessible in a clear way, users can know where they stand. A sign on the door of a shop with ‘closed for renovation’ will yield more understanding than a closed door with no explanation. Transparency on failures is appreciated. Providers with an open and honest communication, can count on receiving compliments on their approach. There is a duty of responsibility for the sector as a whole. By the increasing dependency on internet connections, the society needs to know about the risks providers, and so the users, are facing.